Watch movement with ringing mechanism



y 2, 1967 JEAN'CLAUDE SCHNEIDER 3,316,707

WATCH MOVEMENT WITH RINGING MECHANISM 3 Sheets-Sheet'] Filed July 14, 1965 N v Q L Qv vv mm m @v Q wm mm a ww w ww mm mm mm Q Q a Q Q y 2, 1967 JEANCLAUDE SCHNEIDER 3,316,707

WATCH MOVEMENT WITH RIN'GING MECHANISM 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 14, 1965 Jul/8 Jan-C/auda Seine/Jew y 2, 1967 JEAN'CLAUDE SCHNEIDER 3,316,707

WATCH MOVEMENT WITH RINGING MECHANISM 5 Sheets-$heet 5 Filed July 14, 1965 I 1 0 c7587) C/A'UJBZZAngi /gy eventually to wind it again.

United States Patent 3,316,707 WATCH MOVEMENT WITH RINGING MECHANISM Jean-Claude Schneider, La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland, assignor to Fabrique dHorlogerie Chs. Tissot et Fils S.A., Le Locle, Switzerland, :1 company limited by shares of Switzerland Filed July 14, 1965, Ser. No. 471,833 Claims priority, application Switzerland, Aug. 7, 1964, 10,349/ 64 13 Claims. (Cl. 58-21.12)

The present invention relates to a watch movement with ringing mechanism, comprising an alarm releasing device adapted to release the alarm at a predetermined moment, then to stop it, and to release it again.

In the heretofore known watch movement of this type the time interval between the two subsequent alarms is invariable, whereby the second alarm is released a few minutes after the first alarm and simply constitutes a recall or reminder. If it is desired to produce another alarm for example half an hour or one hour later it is necessary to modify the adjusting of the alarm watch and Alarm watch movements adapted to release two successive alarms and affording for an adjustment in advance, at least within certain limits, of the time interval between the two alarms are unknown up to now.

The present invention has for its object to make good this loss.

To this end in accordance with the present invention the releasing device comprises two distinctive releasing members adapted to be adjusted at will one with respect to the other for releasing the alarm, the first of said members for a first alarm period at a determined moment and the second for a second alarm period after a freely adjustable time interval.

Other features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the description now to follow, of a preferred embodiment thereof, given by Way of example only, and in which reference Will be made to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 shows a part of an axial section through the watch movement according to the invention,

FIG. 2 is a top view of the device for releasing the alarm in an operating position,

FIG. 3 is a top view of the same device but in another operating position,

FIG. 4 is a top view of still the same alarm releasing device in a third operational position, and

FIG. 5 is an elevational view of an alarm watch provided with a movement according to the present invention.

The movement illustrated in FIG. 1 comprises a thin plate 1, a bridge 2 extending parallelly to said plate and situated underneath of it, and a dial 3 extending above of the' plate 1 at a determined distance thereof, some of the train elements of the movement being arranged between the plate and the dial. The power necessary for driving the movement and the alarm mechanism is accumulated in a motor barrel 4 comprising a motor spring 5. The inner end of spring 5 is hooked to a barrel-arbor 6 pivoted in a bearing 7 on bridge 2, on the one hand, and in the center portion of the drum of barrel 4 on the other hand. The barrel-arbor 6 carries a retaining means 8 forming the cover of the barrel and cooperating with a Breguet or saw toothing 9 at the inner face of bridge 2. The drum of barrel 4 moreover is pivoted in a bearing 10 of the plate 1. This drum has an outer toothing 11 meshing with a first train element (not represented) of a gear train comprising an escape wheel cooperating with a contventional regulating device with a balance.

The drum of barrel 4 further carries a driving wheel 12 secured to the end of its arbor and extending into the space between the plate 1 and the dial. This driving wheel actuates the indicating means of the alarm as well as the ringing mechanism in the following manner:

The wheel 12 meshes with a transmission wheel 13 which in turn is frictionally coupled to a disc 14 having a peripheral toothing of same diameter as the toothing of the wheel 13. This disc 14 in turn meshes with an hour wheel (not shown) of conventional construction arranged in the center of the movement and carrying the hourhand 15 (FIG. 5). This wheel further entrains a minutewheel meshing with a canon-pinion carrying the minutehand 16 coaxially to the hour-hand 15. The frictional coupling between the elements 13 and 14 aifords for the hand-setting of the hands 15 and 16. The dial 3 is provided with a chapter ring 17 visible from the exterior. The barrel 4 regulated by the gears and the regulating device, rotates at a speed of one revolution in 12 hours. The gear elements 13 and 14 having a diameter that is double the one of wheel 12 thus effect one revolution in. 24 hours. The hour wheel has the same diameter as the wheel 12. On the other hand the wheels 13 and 14 rotate in counter-clockwise direction while wheel 12 rotates in clockwise direction. A winding button secured to the end of the barrel-arbor 6 serves to wind the spring 5. It appears from FIGURES 1 and 5 that the dial 3 has an opening 18 of circular shape situated in the zone of 6 oclock and through which the upper face of disc 14 is visible. This upper face carries a crown 19 marked from 0 to 24 hours. A stationary index 20 thus indicates the time in the double hour circle.

The elements 13 and 14 pivot on a shaft 21 guided in a bearing 22 of bridge 2 and in an opening 23 of plate 1. This shaft extends to the rear side of the movement where it is accessible. It carries a cap 24 resiliently engaged on its upper end owing to a slot 25. This cap, which rotates with shaft 21 is engaged in a sleeve 26, which in turn is engaged in co-axial openings of the elements 13 and 14. The cap 24, the sleeve 26 and the elements 13 and 14 are frictionally adjusted on each other and may rotate independently from each other.

As appears on FIG. 1 the sleeve 26 carries at its upper end an indicating member 27, which extends above of disc 14 and the cap 24 carries an indicating member 28, which extends above of the indicating member 27. Both said indicating members normally rotate with the disc 14 entrained by the movement, but may be adjusted at will with respect to said dial disc and placed either in coincidence or with an angular spacing between 0 and a maximum value.

In this case the indicating member 27 is in advance of the member 28 in the direction of rotation of disc 14. The ringing of the alarm watch is released when the member 27 is opposite index 20. It stops automatically after a determined period and is again released when the indicating member 28 comes opposite to index 20.

The releasing mechanism which ensures these functions primarily comprises a cam 29 mounted for rotation with the cap 24 and the shaft 21. To this end the cap 24 comprises at its lower end a pair of noses 30 diametrically opposite to each other and engaged in corresponding recesses provided on the lower face of cam 29. Moreover the adjustment between the cam 29 and the cap 24 is a firm one. The mechanism further comprises a releasing wheel 31 engaged on the lower end of the sleeve 26 which presents a flat portion 32 to which corresponds a straight portion of the contour of the center opening of wheel 31 so that the driving connection of sleeve 26 and of wheel 31 is ensured. Between wheel 31 and wheel 13 there is arranged a resilient disc 33 presenting at its periphery upstanding tongues 34 engaged in a Breguet toothing 35 provided at the lower face of wheel 13. Disc 33 rests on wheel 31 and has an opening engaged by a catch 36 projecting from wheel 31. Disc 33 connected for rotation with wheels 31 forms a unidirectional coupling between this wheel and the transmission wheel 13 and as the latter is constantly engaged with the wheel 12 entrained by the barrel, the releasing wheel 31 may be displaced with respect to wheel 13 only in forward direction, i.e. in counter-clockwise direction as seen in FIGURE 5. The wheel 31 further has at its lower face a pair of stops 37 and 37a arranged on both sides of cam 29 so that when shaft 21 is rotated in counter-clockwise direction the cam 29 abuts the stop 37 and entrains wheel 31 and disc 33 the tongues of which slide on the Breguet toothing 35. The relative position of cam 29 and of wheel 31, which in this manner is determined by the first stop 37, corresponds to that in which both indicating members 27 and 28 are placed one above the other. By rotating the shaft 21 in clockwise direction it is possible to entrain the cam 29 alone and to shift the hand 28 with respect to the hand 27 until the cam 29 abuts against the stop 37a, which corresponds to a shifting of about 3 hours (see FIGURE 2). It is to be noted that disc 33 ensures the frictional coupling between the wheel 14 and the wheel 13. Since wheel 14 .is axially retained by a collar of sleeve 26, while cam 29 is axially retained by the catches 30, the resilient disc 33 rests on wheel 31 and presses the latter against cam 29 while compressing the wheel 13 against wheel 14 as the cap 24 axially retains sleeve 26.

The described mechanism cooperates with a ringing mechanism, which is partially illustrated on FIGURE 1. A shaft 38 pivoted between the bridge 2 and the plate 1 and extending into the space between the plate 1 and dial 3 carries and rotationally drives a control disc 39 on the hub of which is mounted a collet 40 to which is attached the inner end of an alarm spring 41. The outer end of this alarm spring is attached to a pillar 56 projecting from plate 1 in direction to bridge 2. The disc 39 may slide on shaft 38. It presents in the inner face of its hub a Breguet toothing 42 engaged by a corresponding toothing of an alarm wheel 43 mounted for free rotation on the lower end of shaft 38. A spring plate 44 maintains the Breguet toothings 42 engaged with each other in such manner that when shaft 38 is rotated by spring 41 after winding and releasing of the alarm, the wheel 43 is entrained by the Breguet toothing 42 and rotates an escape wheel 45 actuating by means of a pallet (not represented) a ringing hammer.

To the upper end of shaft 38 there is fixed between the plate 1 and the dial 3 a winding wheel 46 provided at its periphery with a toothing 47 and carrying on its lower face a stop 48. As appears from FIGURE 1 the toothing 47 of wheel 46 extends at the level of the releasing wheel 31 and the stop 48 extends at the level of cam 29. The manner in which these elements cooperate is represented on FIGURES 2, 3 and 4. While the toothing 47 extends on the whole periphery of wheel 46the toothing of the releasing wheel 31 extends only about 320 and comprises a last tooth 49 which is reinforced. Cam 29 further has an ear limited by a radial face 50 abutting against stop 37 when the indicating members are brought tov coincide and a peripheral edge 51 of slightly spiral form for facilitating the displacement of the cam under: the action of stop 48.

The position of the members 31, 29 and 46, as it is represented on FIGURE 2, corresponds to the moment shortly before the alarm will be released. Both indicating members 27 and 28 coincide and thewhole of the assemblage 29, 31, 13 and 14 rotates as a unit entrained by the movement. The indicating members are immediately before the positionopposite to index 20 and the spring 41 is completely wound. As soon as tooth 49 is released from toothing 47 the gear element 46 is released and, entrained by spring 41 in counter-clockwise direction, effects a complete revolution until the spring 41 is unwound. The wheel 45 during this time effects several revolutions and produces the ringing.

If subsequent to the alarm nothing is changed in the positioning of shaft 21, the unit of the ringing block continues to be entrained owing to the meshing of gear element 13 with gear element 12 and to rotate in counterclockwise direction. After about 4 hours the first tooth 52 of the releasing wheel 31 comes to engage toothing 47 and entrains gear element 46 (FIG. 3). The alarm spring is thus automatically wound in clockwise direction from the power communicated by the barrel 4 and this winding will last until the gear elements 29 and 31 are again in the position shown in FIGURE 2, i.e. 24 hours later where a further alarm will be released.

To modify the releasing time of the alarm, all that has to be done is to rotate shaft 21 in counter-clockwise direction about the desired angle. If the toothing of wheel 31 is then out of engagement with wheel 46 the moment at which this engagement will take place is advanced, and if the effected rotation brings wheel 31 into engagement with wheel 46, the adjustment will already start the winding of the alarm spring. In all'cases the rotation of the releasing wheel 31 brings the winding wheel in such a position that the alarm spring is completely wound at the moment in which the releasing position represented on FIG. 2 is reached.

As has been indicated above, it is also possible to rotate shaft 21 in clockwise direction about a maximum angle corresponding to a duration of 3 hours. Only cam 29 is entrained, gear element 31 remaining coupled to wheel 13 in turn meshing with wheel 12. With respect to wheel 31 cam 29 will then have a shifted position such as that represented on FIGURE 4. The spiral-shaped edge 51 will then extend into the path of stop 48 secured to the winding wheel 46. From the releasing position shown in FIGURE 2 on, this stop may effect only half a revolution before abutting the edge 51 of cam 29. It results therefrom that the alarm will stop after a half-revolution of the ringing wheel, but the cam 29 frictionally entrained by wheel 31 continues to rotate and 'after a time period in relation to the shifting between the cam 29 and the wheel 31 will release stop 48 so that the alarm wheel loaded by spring 41 is started again for the time necessary to effect the second half of its revolution.

It would of course also be possible, as 'a modification, to provide a cam 29 the edge 51 of which would present several steps and a wheel 46 provided with several stops so that each alarm could be divided into several periods. It would also be possible to provide several cams adjustable with respect to each other and affording for the releasing of several alarms at determined time intervals.

The described ringing mechanism is further provided with a blocking system for stopping the ringing once it has been released. This system comprises a lever 53 adapted to stop the hammer and provided at one end of one of its arms with 'a stud 54 sliding in :a slot 55 of gear element 39 and which, when the alarm spring 41 starts to be wound, again returns the blocking system into its starting position.

I claim:

1. In an alarm clock having a clock movement, alarm means including an alarm spring and a winding wheel for energizing and releasing the alarm spring, a releasing device for initiating two alarm periods spaced by an interval of time, the releasing device including a first rotatable releasing member operatively connected to the clock movement to be rotated in one direction by the clock movement, said first releasing member being engageable and disengageable with said winding wheel for respectively preventing movement of the winding wheel and for releasing the winding wheel for initiating a first alarm period, a second rotatable releasing member operatively connected to the clock movement to be rotated by the clock movement, said second releasingmember also being engageable and disengageable with the winding wheel for respectively preventing movement of the winding wheel and for releasing the winding wheel for initiating a second alarm period, said first and second releasing members being rotatably adjustable relative to each other to vary the time interval between the alarm periods respectively initiated thereby.

2. The combination defined to claim 1 wherein the Winding wheel is designed so as not to undergo more than one revolution during unwinding of the alarm spring and wherein the said second releasing member is operative to engage and stop the winding wheel for the duration of said time interval and subsequently to release the Winding wheel to initiate the second alarm period.

3. The combination defined in claim 1 wherein both of said releasing members are coaxially arranged and angularly adjustable with respect to each other within a predetermined maximum angle and normally entrained by the clock movement at the same speed thereof.

4. The combination defined in claim 3 wherein one of said releasing members is formed by a rotatable cam having an axis of rotation extending parallel to the axis of rotation of the winding wheel, said winding wheel having a stop means thereon engageable with a portion of said cam to retain the winding wheel against movement by the alarm spring, said cam upon rotation out of engagement with the stop means on the winding wheel releasing said winding wheel for rotation by the alarm spring for initiating one of the alarm periods.

5. The combination defined in claim 4 wherein the other releasing member is formed by a rotatable gear having on a portion of its periphery a series of teeth engageable with the winding wheel to entrain the winding wheel for purposes of winding the alarm spring.

6. The combination defined in claim 5 wherein said rotatable gear has on its periphery a gap portion for interrupting entrainment with the winding wheel for releasing the winding wheel to initiate the other alarm period.

7. The combination defined in claim 6 wherein said first releasing member is formed by said rotatable gear and said second releasing member is formed by said rotatable cam.

8. The combination defined in claim 7 further including a pair of angularly spaced stops formed on one of said cam and gear for engagement by the other of said cam and gear upon rotation thereof in a direction opposite to the said first recited direction, said cam being rotatable relative to said gear between opposite positions governed by said stops so as to vary said time interval between the alarm periods.

9. The com bination defined in claim 8 further including a visible rotatable indicating element, 'a dial over which the indicating element moves, and a stationary index positioned on the dial so that when the indicating element moves to a position opposite the stationary index the first releasing member will be in initial releasing position.

10. The combination defined in claim 1 further including a shaft fixed to said winding wheel for rotation therewith, a control disc fixed to said shaft to be rotatable with the shaft but to be slideable along the shaft, an alarm wheel rotatably mounted on the shaft, a clutch means between said disc and said alarm wheel, spring means urging said disc into engagement with said alarm wheel whereby the clutch is engaged to rotate the alarm wheel with said disc, said alarm spring being fixed with respect to the control disc to be wound thereby upon rotation of the control disc as effected through said winding wheel, said alarm spring upon unwinding being efiective to rotate said control disc to cause rotation of said alarm wheel through said clutch means.

11. The combination defined in claim 10 wherein said control disc has a groove in one side face thereof, and wherein there is further provided a stud engageable in said groove for preventing movement of said disc, said stud being retractable from said groove to release the disc. l I

12. In an alarm clock having a clock movement, alarm means including an energizing member for energizing the alarm, a releasing device for initiating two alarm periods spaced by an interval of time, the releasing device including a first releasing member operatively connected to the clock movement to be rotated in one direction by the clock movement, said first releasing member being engageable and disengageable with said energizing member for respectively preventing movement of the energizing member and for releasing the energizing member for initiating a first alarm period, a second releasing member operatively connected to the clock movement to be rotated by the clock movement, said second releasing member also being engageable and disengageable with the energizing member for respectively preventing movement of the energizing member and for releasing the energizing member for initiating a second alarm period, said first and second releasing members being adjustable relative to each other to vary the time interval between the alarm periods respectively initiated thereby.

13. In an alarm clock or the like having a clock movement, an alarm means including an actuating means for energizing the alarm means; a release means for releasing said actuating means to initiate the alarm, the release means comprising first and second releasing members for successively releasing said actuating means to initiate first and second alarm periods respectively, said releasing members being engageable with said actuating means to prevent energization of the alarm means and being movable out of engagement with said actuating means to release said actuating means to initiate the first and second alarm periods respectively, and means operatively connecting both of said releasing members to the clock movement for driving the releasing members out of engagement with said actuating means in response to the clock movement.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS RICHARD B. WILKINSON, Primary Examiner. G. F. BAKER, Assistant Examiner. 

1. IN AN ALARM CLOCK HAVING A CLOCK MOVEMENT, ALARM MEANS INCLUDING AN ALARM SPRING AND A WINDING WHEEL FOR ENERGIZING AND RELEASING THE ALARM SPRING, A RELEASING DEVICE FOR INITIATING TWO ALARM PERIODS SPACED BY AN INTERVAL OF TIME, THE RELEASING DEVICE INCLUDING A FIRST ROTATABLE RELEASING MEMBER OPERATIVELY CONNECTED TO THE CLOCK MOVEMENT TO BE ROTATED IN ONE DIRECTION BY THE CLOCK MOVEMENT, SAID FIRST RELEASING MEMBER BEING ENGAGEABLE AND DISENGAGEABLE WITH SAID WINDING WHEEL FOR RESPECTIVELY PREVENTING MOVEMENT OF THE WINDING WHEEL AND FOR RELEASING THE WINDING WHEEL FOR INITIATING A FIRST ALARM PERIOD, A SECOND ROTATABLE RELEASING MEMBER OPERATIVELY CONNECTED TO THE CLOCK MOVEMENT TO BE ROTATED BY THE CLOCK MOVEMENT, SAID SECOND RELEASING MEMBER ALSO BEING ENGAGEABLE AND DISENGAGEABLE WITH THE WINDING FOR RESPECTIVELY PREVENTING MOVEMENT OF THE WINDING WHEEL AND FOR RELEASING THE WINDING WHEEL FOR INITIATING A SECOND ALARM PERIOD, SAID FIRST AND SECOND RELEASING MEMBERS BEING ROTATABLY ADJUSTABLE RELATIVE TO EACH OTHER TO VARY THE TIME INTERVAL BETWEEN THE ALARM PERIODS RESPECTIVELY INITIATED THEREBY. 